AMELIA A week had passed since my grandfather's unexpected visit, and I found myself settling into a strange sort of normalcy. The kind that felt both comforting and dangerous– like walking on a bridge made of glass. Beautiful, but with the constant awareness that it could shatter at any moment. T
JESSICA The steady beeping of monitors faded into background noise as I stripped off my surgical gloves, satisfaction warming my chest even as my bones ached from the exhaustion from being up for countless hours. Another successful surgery, another life saved. That's what I lived for now – not t
"That was one time!" she protested, but she was laughing too. "Okay, maybe twice if you count the Christmas party incident. And the baby shower thing... Fine, point taken!" Our laughter was interrupted by a throat clearing. We both turned to see Dr. Morrison, the hospital's chief of medicine, stan
I forced my face into what I hoped was a professionally neutral smile, pretending I didn't recognize the name that had haunted my childhood nightmares. "Good afternoon, Mr. Guerrero. I'm Dr. Jessica Timothy, and I'll be overseeing your cardiac care." I gave him a slight nod as I spoke in the softest
The needle slid into his vein smoothly, and I watched the dark red blood flow into the collection tube. Keep it steady, I coached myself. Keep it professional. But my mouth had gone dry, and I could feel cold sweat gathering at the base of my spine. "You're Antonio Timothy's daughter." He stated. I
A chill ran down my back as he spoke. He knows about my relationship with Amelia. Wait…he knows about Amelia? Suddenly all of my mother's warnings began ringing in my head and I was sure he could see it in my expression. He laughed again, but this time it turned into a coughing fit that had hi
There it was. The catch. I can't have such a powerful man helping me without having to give anything in return. My eyes narrowed as I stayed silent, waiting for the man to say what he wanted to, heart pounding like it was about to jump straight out of my chest. “I need you to keep an eye on Roma
The drive home was quiet, almost too quiet considering how much I wanted to escape my thoughts in that moment. Marcus, my driver, kept his eyes trained on the road ahead as the city blurred past us, the late afternoon sun casted long shadows through the tinted windows. I was both annoyed and grat
SIX MONTHS LATER The annual Wellington Anniversary gala was in full swing, and we'd decided to host it in our home rather than the hotel it was in late year. The ballroom of our estate glittering with lights that illuminated the beauty of the hall’s interior, reflecting against the marble floors
Wolves. They were fucking wolves yet Roman acted like they simply dogs he'd raised. And in turn, they acted the same towards him. “Why wolves though?” I raised a questioning brow as I caressed Sage's soft fur and Juniper whining a few seconds after that. Roman shrugged, “Why not?” He replied w
"You should hate me," I whispered, my voice breaking. "After what I did, you should hate me." "I know," he agreed, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. "It would be so much easier if I did." A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. Roman reached out, hesitated, then gently brushed i
"What happened?" he asked, his voice gentler than I deserved. I laughed bitterly. "Nothing dramatic. No great tragedy or betrayal. Just... emptiness. Day after day of emptiness. Making decisions that affect hundreds of people, never letting anyone close enough to see that I'm terrified of making th
I woke to unfamiliar shadows dancing across an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment, panic seized me as I forgot where I was. Until it came rushing back and I found myself sinking deeper into the mattress Roman's bed was sinfully comfortable, the sheets soft against my skin. I stretched, my muscles p
The rain continued to lash against the windows, filling the silence between us. Outside, lightning flashed, illuminating Roman's face and his even darker expression. I wasn't getting through to him. And I didn't blame him. "Two years ago, you made it very clear that you didn't need me," he said
Roman chuckled, the rich sound sending heated shivers down my abdomen. His eyes crinkled at the corners, making him look more like the man I remembered. "So did you," he replied, nodding toward my pixie cut. I reached up self-consciously to touch the ends of my damp hair. "Maybe it should be called
Roman suddenly cleared his throat and dragged his gaze away. He ran a hand through his short blonde hair, sending droplets flying. "I'll get you something dry," he said, his voice rougher than before. He disappeared down a hallway without waiting for my response. Left alone, I took the opportunity
AMELIA My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Words, which had never failed me before, suddenly evaporated from my mind like morning dew under a harsh sun. I stood there, gun still stupidly hanging from my fingers, staring at the stranger-not-stranger before me. Roman Wellington. But not my Roman